A new study by the University of Turku and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology challenges traditional assumptions of male dominance in mammals. Analyzing three decades of data on wild mountain gorillas, researchers found that most females can overpower at least one adult male, winning one in four conflicts and outranking non-alpha males. Females also gain priority access to certain food resources, showing that power dynamics are not solely determined by size and strength.
The findings suggest that female–male power relationships among great apes are more variable than previously thought, contributing to a broader understanding of social hierarchies and questioning the idea that human patriarchy is a primate legacy.
Source: University of Turku
About the Author
